HE SPOKE WITH AUTHORITY
Goodness possesses an intrinsic power to dismantle and eventually
destroy the subtle forms what evil can do in today's world.
In today's Gospel
Jesus Christ early into His ministry in Capernaum, He bears witness to His
anointing by the Holy Spirit. The close connection between the words and the
works of Jesus identifies Him as the "prophet like Moses," whose
messianic coming was announced in Deuteronomy: "I will raise up for them a
prophet like you." God told Moses,”... [I] will put my words into his
mouth" (18:18.) The people are spellbound by Jesus' teaching,”because He
spoke with authority" (Lk 4:32.) Just as Moses had no equal in "the
terrifying power that he exhibited in the sight of all Israel," - so does
the power of Jesus Christ over the unclean spirits strike all who see it with
astonishment. The two Scripture readings explore what Jesus' prophetic ministry
means for all who follow Him. St. Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians
passed on this message with a warning to stay alert and sober so that we too
may gain salvation through Jesus Christ, who died for us. Then, whether we are
awake or asleep, we will live together with Him, over whom Satan has no power.
As modern day
disciples of Jesus' we also receive a warning not to be conquered by evil but
to conquer evil with good. Thus we shall evidence the good news of living a
Gospel life, like Jesus showed us. A sense of justice, a regard for truth, a
pursuit of honesty, these become weapons for defeating what is bad. Goodness
possesses an intrinsic power to dismantle and eventually destroy the subtle
forms what evil can do in today's world. Paul also put in his letter: we are
not in darkness, but rather "children of the light," so we shall not
be overcome.
Receive not the
spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, and challenge evil!